The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on lawmakers to prioritize accountability and good governance in their legislative duties.
He made the call on Thursday, August 21, 2025, in Abuja, at the Policy Dialogue and Public Unveiling of the 10th National Assembly’s Deliberative Barometer and Policy Focus Productivity Report themed “Legislative Governance, Accountability and Productivity Index”. The event was organized by the Erudite Growth and Advancement Foundation (ERGAF-Africa) in partnership with the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC).
Speaking through the EFCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Commander CE Wilson Uwujaren, Olukoyede noted that while the report was commendable, it did not adequately address the issue of accountability in governance. He stressed that the role of legislators in promoting transparency could not be overlooked.
“Governance and accountability must remain central in legislative engagement. Reports like this should highlight those responsibilities,” he stated, while commending the organizers for a “great effort” that would help shape national discourse.
In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Hon. Cyril Godwin Hart, emphasized the need to continually raise the standards of representation, lawmaking, and oversight. He said the barometer would help spotlight legislative performance, deepen democratic culture, and strengthen the impact of the National Assembly’s work.
He further explained that the initiative aligns with the 10th Assembly’s vision to entrench evidence-based lawmaking, ensuring lawmakers rely on data to evaluate and improve contributions to national development.
The Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Suleiman, praised the project for providing credible data to assess the Assembly’s activities. He stressed that data and artificial intelligence would increasingly shape decisions that promote transparency and accountability in governance.
Also speaking, Hon. Bamidele Salam described leadership as the act of guiding citizens toward their rightful aspirations. He maintained that Nigerians are more interested in the dividends of democracy and the results of legislative mandates. He urged the government to support the sustainability of the initiative, which he said would help build trust in governance.
Credit: @officialEFCC via X.
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